2019 MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE 4th Sec - Tokyo Verdy vs Tochigi SC

Match Report

Last week, Verdy emerged from their third match of the season with a 2-1 victory against Zweigen Kanazawa and their first three points of the season. This week, they continued their run of consecutive matches at home by facing Tochigi SC. Verdy maintained their base from the previous week, with the only change being that Ryota Kajikawa was chosen in place of Tatsuya Uchida to partner with Lee Yong-jick.

The first team to grasp the pace at the start of the match were Verdy. After receiving the ball at kick off, it took the team barely a minute to break into the opposition third with short one and two-touch passing that set up their first shot. Following that, the players pushed up from the back in a front-line press, winning the ball again and pinning the opposition back with virtually no opportunities to launch an attack of their own. In the fourth minute, following a free-kick, Yuhei Sato and Yuta Narawa combined to open space on the left side, allowing Narawa to float a cross in front of goal for Ryohei Hayashi to head at goal. The shot cannoned back off the post but still seemed to symbolize that momentum was with Verdy on this day. However, the team would follow that chance by once again conceding the first goal of the match. It was the 13^th minute and Tochigi forward Ozaki breached the Verdy back line as they were attempting to push up. Naoto Kamifukumoto made a desperate charge for the ball, but the subsequent shot was looped over him into the back of the net. This marked the fourth straight match since the start of the season that Verdy had conceded the opener, but the players showed little sign of shock and immediately pushed forward with attacking intent. Just moments later, in the 15^th minute, the home side emerged from their half with a series of short passes and played the ball toward the post, where Kajikawa had gone forward in support of target man Jin Hanato. After Kajikawa received the ball, Junki Koike made a run into the space opened on the right side. In a scene reminiscent of the previous week, Koike hit an early cross into the box and Hayashi met the ball with a diving header to send it into the right corner of the net and provide Verdy an immediate equalizer. After that, the match was returned to the trend seen in the opening minutes, despite the change in score line, and Verdy continued to control the pace. Breaking through the opposition lines with quick passing in tight spaces, as well as by switching of the play from side to side and using the full width of the pitch, the team were able to create chances one after the other. Finally, in the 31^st minute, their attacks would bear fruit when a corner kick from Yuhei Sato was met by Lee, who outjumped several other players in the box for a towering header. His powerful effort was too strong for the keeper and soon found the net.

Throughout the first half, Verdy had demonstrated success in their pressing and carried the match in the ideal manner that the team wish to play. Though seemingly riding high in confidence, the players would soon be met by a shocking turn of events after the break.

As the play resumed, Verdy were forced to concede possession to the opposition and defend in their own half. However, they soon found ways to build play on the left and push deep into Tochigi territory. In the 64^th minute, Sato received the ball on the left side and played an inviting pass across the face of goal. With the goal keeper off his line, Hayashi was first to make contact, just touching the ball with an outstretched leg, but his shot went wide of the post. That scene was followed by more time in which Verdy were forced to defend, compared to the first half, but they still found plenty of time in possession. Despite putting pressure on the goal a number of times, the players were unable to get on the end of crosses and efforts to shoot were largely blocked by the opposition ’s defensive wall. Finally, with the match drawing to a close in the 77^th minute, Verdy were pushed back wide and suffered a wave of attacks after failing to clear the ball. The last of these was a cross in front of goal that led to a backheel shot that found the net and brought the game level again. With the result now up for grabs, Verdy once again pushed forward in search of a winner but it would be Tochigi that created effective chances on the counter. In the 87^th minute, one of these counters broke down the right of the Verdy defense and the players failed to close down the ball holder, enabling the opposition to move it within the final third and take a shot with space that gave Tochigi their third goal of the match. The minutes continued to tick away and having suddenly found themselves on the back foot, desperation finally began to emerge in the Verdy side, leading to loss of precision in their play. During additional time, Kanya Fujimoto played a cross which Sato met with a volley for the final chance of the match. The whistle then sounded, just as a strong rain began to beat down, and the game was brought to a close.

Despite giving up the opening goal, this was a match in which Verdy were largely in control. The team also had several chances to put the result beyond doubt after going up 2-1. In the end, however, the outcome was a loss. In terms of content, the players had showed effective interplay in attack, creating chances and scoring multiple goals for the second straight match. The remaining issue for the team is their vulnerability in defense, having failed to keep a clean sheet at any time since the opener. Either way, the players have no time to be down on themselves, as their next match is just around the corner. While continuing to improve in attack, they must also reorganize in defense. Only a week remains to prepare.

Manager Gary John WHITE

Your thoughts on the match?
I thought we performed very well in the opening 70 minutes. In the first half, we achieved the type of football we aim to play and our pressing was also successful. I think everything went well up until half time. In fact, we took as many as 15 shots on goal and we may been able to score more. With all that said, the result is a reality we have to accept.

Until the 70th minute, it didn’t feel like a match the team were going to lose. What changed that led to the result?
Most likely, I think it had to do with our confidence levels. We weren’t able to finish when we had chances on the front line. I imagine that had an effect on our play at the back. Our line started to drift further and further deep, for no particular reason, and that led to gaps in midfield.

Tell us the reason you decided to bring on Tatsuya Uchida after the equalizer.
The first is that he is an experienced player. Another reason is that I planned to bring him on at 2-1 to close the game off. Even at 2-2, I judged that he would prevent the line from dropping too far back and also be able to participate in the attack.

The game ended as a loss that didn’t reflect the strength of the team’s play. Would it be true to say that you are not planning any major changes in direction at this point?
It was a truly positive performance up until the 70th minute and I want us to continue playing in that way. I, myself, felt a lot of joy at the way the team had played until that point. As everyone knows, it’s a tough league and if we fail to capitalize on our chances, we put ourselves in difficult situations. There were a lot of positives from today and I hope we continue to work hard and express them in the future as well.

FW 11Ryohei Hayashi

You scored for the second match in a row. Tell us about today’s goal.
In general, I concentrate on the run I make before the goal and the minute Eiko (Koike) received the ball, I positioned myself so that I could get a step ahead of the defense. I anticipated being in that position when the pass came.

You have now three goals, total, for the season.
As long as I play, I’m confident that I can score and I feel like I know how I will score. When I’m on, I think I can get a goal.

The match grew instantly more difficult after the 70th minute. What do you think was the reason?
I think the goals we’ve conceded have been too easy. I think we’re lacking a bit of toughness in that department right now.

In the second half, you had a chance after beating the keeper to the ball.
I tried to do something like Ibrahimović would do in that situation, but I wasn’t quite able to pull it off. I was barely able to get a touch, but I feel like I’m in good enough condition right now where I can reach that kind of ball, even with the tips of my toes.

You were also effective in your pressing up front.
That’s an important element of our defense and there were times when I was actually able to win the ball, so I feel like I personally was able to help the team in that way and also able to contribute in attack with a goal. With that said, this is a team sport and if the team doesn’t win, I’m always going to be disappointed.

DF 17Lee Yong Jick

Tell us about your goal.
I was matched up with a young and inexperienced marker and I had seen from the first one or two corners that Yuhei (Sato) was going to deliver a good ball today, so I just filled the space in the middle. The kick was perfect, so all I had to do was get a touch.

How did you divide responsibilities with your holding midfield partner, Kajikawa?
I knew that if Kaji(kawa) wasn’t able to move freely, he wouldn’t be able to express his strengths, so I was more conscious of where their forwards or shadow strikers were than last week. We did it well up until the 70th minute. We felt the first goal was kind of an accident, as we had a ball squeeze through in an area that we had tried to filter out. That’s a situation where all you can do is compliment your opponent.

You did involve yourself well in the attack, though.
This year, I always keep an eye on those around me and get forward when the timing is right. Today, the other players did a good job of getting on the ball, so it was easy for me to make runs into open spaces. I think the fact that I didn’t feel much pressure in the first half is due to the strong play of my teammates.

In the second half, you seemed to make many mistakes after winning the ball.
From my position, I did make sure to play it back and recycle possession now and then, but when we’re facing off against an opponent that doesn’t press from the front, it’s easy for us to attack and I think we got a little carried away. There was also a bit of desperation for us to get the third goal as quickly as possible. Considering how well they were able to keep possession themselves, we probably should have played with a bit more patience, but we ended up making easy mistakes and exposing ourselves on the counter. I needed to take a leadership role and make my voice heard a bit more.

MF 24Yuta Narawa

Your thoughts on the match?
More than problems with the team, I think today’s result comes down to individual tactical mistakes. I think we made things too difficult for ourselves.

You seemed well organized in defense in the first half.
Throughout the match, from my position or through combination play with Yuhei (Sato), I think things went smoothly in both attack and defense. As such, I don’t feel like it was a bad game for me on an individual level. In attack and defense, I think I took up the right positions.

In terms of attacking from wide areas, you certainly seemed to have superiority today, especially with Koike making dynamic runs on the opposite side.
When it came to making runs behind the defense or other attacking elements, I think Junki (Koike) had a smooth game overall and really took advantage of his individual abilities. However, my position is on the back line, and from that perspective, we’ve continually played below our abilities throughout this season.

At the close of the match, you were pushing high up the pitch and getting involved in the attack.
There’s always some risk involved with securing a high position, but when I judged that the risk level was comparatively low, I did try to get forward. It’s something that puts pressure on the opposition and I feel like those moments when I am able to secure a high position are those when the team is playing well in attack and defense.

MF 38Ryota Kajikawa

Up until the 70th minute, this was the team’s best performance of the season.
I think we were controlling the match well, but we also had chances in the midst of that and we need to clarify those times when we should commit numbers forward to attack and when we shouldn’t. That means being able to slow down the attack from time to time. We were given a lot of space and the wide areas were open, so everyone just kept gunning forward. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but we need to be more in control at the same time. We lost the ball in bad places and exposed ourselves on the counter, so I think we need to have a bit more poise in those situations.

You were partnered with Lee Yong Jick today. How did the two of you divide responsibilities?
In general, Yong Jick was told to assume a defensive stance and I functioned as a box to box midfielder, making runs across a broad range of the pitch. I tried not to think too much about the finer points, like not dropping back too deep, and aimed to give the team a rhythm in attack by receiving and distributing the ball. I think I accomplished that up until the 70th minute. It was similar to the Ehime match in that if we don’t get goals when we have the opportunity, we’re going to suffer the effects later. Other than that, I think it simply comes down to our physical presence in battling for the ball. In the case of each goal today, the reaction was a realization that teams could score against us in that way, so I think each of us is lacking in the basics right now, such as making sure to pressure the opposition ball holder at all times.

For the first goal, you did a good job of receiving the flick from Hanato and threading it to Koike.
Jin (Hanato) is the kind of player who, in those areas, will play a ball that allows you to keep moving forward, rather than backward. As such, I knew I could continue my run and that created a good outlet to get the ball to Koike, who made a good cross that was headed home with a good diving header by Ryohei (Hayashi). I think that was a truly impressive move. We need to create moves like that more often and I also think we’re a little too focused on the left side and need to develop the full width of the pitch. Of course, it’s a positive that we are able to break teams down on the left, but I think we can do more to develop the attack on the right as well.

It seemed like you made a lot of mistakes after winning the ball in the second half.
Part of it was that we rushed things in areas where we should have been more patient and passed the ball, causing us to lose it too easily, and the other part was fatigue. We got to a point where it felt like we were always going to boot the ball forward and I think several players did less work to position themselves to receive the ball. At other times, the players at the back did their best to pass the ball while the players at the front were making runs expecting a long ball. There were just some gaps in how each of us was approaching the match and I think that may have resulted from fatigue. We have to make sure that we are all on the same page more. Today was a day where we needed a result and we really had to get the full three points. We just have to talk to each other and do what we can to improve. In the past, I have seen a lot of teams who dropped several games in the early part of the season and then rose up the table in the end. The only thing we can do is keep communicating and move forward.

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